How Can an Alcoholic Stop Drinking Daily

“Why can’t they just stop?” a good friend asked. “How can an alcoholic continue drinking until they pass out?” The daily battle begins in the mind. The physical addiction is very present and real as well.

The moment that they awaken in the morning, the first question that enters their mind is where can I get some alcohol in my system and how can I keep it flowing until I go to sleep tonight.

If you haven’t heard of the AA twelve steps developed by the founders of the Alcoholics Anonymous program then that’s why you would wonder how they can quit drinking. These steps have helped millions all over the world stop drinking and many other addictions.

1) Recognize that alcohol is destroying your life and controlling your actions.

2) Make a decision to get help

3) Find a local support group designed to help problem drinkers quit drinking daily.

4) Commit to sticking with the program for one year.

5) Develop the attitude that you will stop drinking one day at a time.

6) Stay away from slippery places where temptation would be in your face. Places like bars, convenient stores, liquor stores. Even stay away from the beer and wine isle in the grocery store.

7) Stop hanging out where the party is.

8) Find some new hobbies or even old ones that you have not done since you started drinking on a daily basis.

9) Find new friends who do not drink. The best place to start is in the support group meetings that you will be attending.

10) Stay on the first step of the twelve until you are ready to move to the next one. There’s no quick fix so take your time. Remember you have made a commitment to do this for a year.

11) If you slip get up and start over again. This is what I love about the AA program is that they continue to accept you and love you if you fall back. An alcoholic can stop drinking if he or she puts their mind to it.

12) Get involved in serving in the meetings that you are attending and with other organizations. Perhaps the Salvation Army could use some help or even a local church. Volunteer to help out with your children’s after school activities.

13) Remember that it takes twenty one days to break a habit and twenty one days to start a new one. You can do this by staying sober one day at a time.

These are many of the steps that will help an alcoholic decide to quit drinking on a daily basis. Once you recognize that you need to stop destroying your life and decide to reach out for help, it’s all down hill from there. It just takes a commitment to be sober and stay sober at any cost.